I can answer that question.
Yes.
He’s cocky, too, but I can’t tell if it’s real or for show.
“Ember, aisle five is ready for restocking.” Griff, who I call Gruff because he growls most of his words, points in the direction of my next task. “Boxes are waiting for you.”
I walk the length of the long checkout counter and step out in front of the candy display. “You know where to find me, Gruff.”
He shakes his head, and ambles over to help someone who’s walked up to the photo counter. I watch him go, wondering when the last time was that he could look down and see his feet? Judging by all the junk I’ve seen him consume in the break room, my guess is that it’s been a while.
Like Gruff said, there are two boxes waiting for me at the end of aisle five. On my knees, I open them, then pull out the first five deodorant sticks and load them on the shelf. I’m still involved in the mind-numbing work when I see three people pass by and stand at the end of the aisle.
“Shut up, you guys.” A female voice says, but she’s laughing as she says it. “It’s not, like, that big of a deal.”
More giggling. Words spoken in a low tone. I scoop another handful of deodorant and line them up on the shelf.
“We just kissed,” the same person says. If she’s trying to whisper, she’s doing a terrible job. “Okay, maybe we did a little more than kiss, but you guys would never tell, right?”
The other girls pledge their devotion and loyalty in a volume that matches the first girl’s. I roll my eyes and keep doing my job.
“This doesn’t mean I’m not devastated, you know? We dated formonths. I, like, don’t even want to go to school. I don’t want everyone to know yet. Especially not with prom so close.”
Is this real?I’m close to pinching myself right now. Maybe it would wake me from the most ridiculous dream ever.
“Excuse me.”
I turn to the person speaking and try not to gape when I see who it is.
“I just need to grab this,” the girl says, reaching over and plucking one of the deodorants I stocked. My gaze follows her hand.Kelsey Moss uses cucumber melon scented deodorant.As if that is what’s important about all this.
“Thanks,” she says, skirting me and my boxes. Her friends follow her down the aisle and disappear from my view.
I sit back on my heels, my hand lifting to cup my mouth. The news, and what’s possible because of it, sinks into me.
Kelsey Moss.
Noah’s girlfriend. Or, ex-girlfriend. I think.
It had been her talking, right?
I’m certain it was. Mostly.
Or do I just want it to be her?
Crap.
I finish my stocking while their conversation plays through my mind. Even in replay, I can’t figure out which of the three girls was speaking. It couldn’t have been Kelsey. It just…couldn’t. Nobody would be crazy enough to cheat on Noah Sutton. Seeing her was a reminder I desperately needed. He has a girlfriend. End of story.
With a heavy sigh, I carry the empty boxes to the back. There's no way to know it was definitely Kelsey talking. Thanks to my wishful thinking, there is only one thing I know for sure.
My name has been added to the long list of girls who have a crush on Noah Sutton.
I’m common.
It’s the last thing I want to be.
* * *
